Amanda Marrone - Revealers

Revealers

AMANDA MARRONE

I wake and turn to my window. The witch bail israttling against the inside of the pane, glowing from a tangledspell within. I wonder which one of my so-called friends threw a hex my way? I watch the spell dance around in thespun glass, and hearthe swoosh of brooms flying past, capesflapping. One, two, three soft landings rustle the leaves by the back door. The fourth hits the dirt hard, and I smile, thinkingDani better stopscarfing doughnuts or she won't be able to get off the ground much longer.

The ball bursts apart and glass clatters against the baseboard. Margo. Damn her, she's always breaking them. I'll have to ask Mom to make the next one stronger.

I get out of bed and throw on a sweatshirt and jeans. I hope I'll be able to find a hat because it's getting too damncold flying around on the stupid sticks without one. The last time I suggested we take a car,Zahara practically bit my head off"Wego by air or wedon't goatall!"Like she's such the traditionalist. Ha! Wonder what her mother will say when she notices the tongue stud she's sporting?

By the time I get downstairs, they're already walking into the kitchen. I wish my mom would keep the door locked or put up a do-not-enter spell, if only to keep Margo stewing out in the cold for a few minutes.

Daniwaves at me."Hey, Jules."

Saschakneels and Nuisance jumps up in her arms, nuzzling his chin against her, purring madly.

I scan their facesonly Margo andZahara seemed pissed. Their cheeks are bright red, and I breathe the smoky night air they brought in with them. "Hey, guys."

Zaharaclacks her tongue stud on her front teeth, and runs her hand across her close-cropped black hair. "Nice bed head. Apparently you didn't know we were coming."

I run my fingers through my curls and look at the cauldron bubbling furiously on the burnerdeep-purplesteam flying up to the vent."Mom! Why didn't you wake me up?"

My mom pads into the room and casts a glance at the pot."Again? Didn't you girls go out a few nights ago?"

Margo rolls her eyes and snorts. "Um, it's not like they run on a schedule or anything."

Mom gives a half smile and shrugs. I hate she's taking that from Margo, but I'm no better. The more Margo andZahara vie for Queen Bee, the more the rest of us seem to shrink in their wake. Well, notSascha .Sascha seems to float outside the circle, only stepping in when things are about to break. But when did this happen to us? When did the need to pull rank get so strong?

Mom sighs as she heads to the stove. "There've been a lot more than usual." She reaches into a jar and tosses some herbs into the water until the steam runs clear. "Do you know who it is?" she asks.

Saschanods. "Yeah, it's the guy who gutted that Wilkins lady last week. They tracked him down.Should be an easy job. Mrs. Keyes said he's at that bar by the river so we should get going before he drinks too much and passes out."

My mom cocks her head and purses her lips. "Sorry I wasn't keeping an eye on it, girls. There's a really good movie on and well, I guess I was hoping you'd get a few nights off."

Daniflicks her eyes at Margo andZahara then flashes a tiny smile at my mom. "It'sokay, Mrs. Harris, my mom didn't see it right away, either."

"But she did see it," Margo says. "We didn't have to come fetch you."

"We're all together now,"Sascha says quietly. "Let's just go."

"I need to find a hat first." I grab my wool cape from the coat rack and open the closet.

"For God's sake,"Zahara says, "it's not that cold!"

I give her a hard look but close the door."Fine."

Saschasqueezes my hand with icy fingers as we head to the mudroom. "You're going to wish you had a hatit is that cold."

Of courseSascha wouldn't be caught dead in a hatshe totally gets off on her long black hair swirling behind her as we ride. Like anyone is watching. But me, I'll take warmth over vanity, and it's not like a hat could make a dent in my curls.

"Bye, girls," my mom calls. "Be careful."

I fasten my cape, grab my broom, and follow them out.Sascha was rightit's freaking cold. The wind whips around my face sucking the warm air away."Just a minute." As I head back into the house my broom jerks in my hand ready to fly, and I clutch the smooth handle to keep from losing my grip. I rummage through the bins in the closet and snag my purple hat.

When I get back outside,Zahara's jaw is clenched tight I hear her clacking the tongue stud impatiently on her teeth.

Margo smirks. "That's real stylish!"

I pull the wool down over my ears. "Thanks!"

We mount our sticks, andSascha says, "I'll do it." She shakes her long hair so it fans out around her shoulders. "We fly in darkness for the good of all, let us pass unseen till we land again."

A shimmering fog envelops us and we're off. I tip my broom toward the sky and rise up. The frigid air cuts through my cape and I make a mental note to get my heavy sweaters down from the attic.

Margo flies alongside me. "Your mother needs to get it together.Helena isn't going to tolerate this crap."

"Yeah, well, I wonder what Helena would think if she knew you were throwing her first name around like you're best buds? I was under the impression we were to call her 'Mrs. Keyes.' You broke another ball, by the way! What the hell were you trying to do?"

Margo looks down her thin pointy nose with wide eyes. "It was just a jokethe worst it could've done wasgive you a good jolt. And as of this weekend I'll be part of the inner circle, and I'm sure Mrs. Keyes will insist I use her first name." She grins, points her broom down, and shoots ahead next toZahara .

I look behind, and pull my broom to fall back next toDani . "Hey," I say. "How's it going?"

Danishakes her head. "I've got a stupidchem test first period tomorrow. I really should be studying right now."

"Sorry I was late. I pulled an all-nighter yesterday and I crashed early tonight."

"It's okay, but Margo got all bent we had to come get you. Of course her mom is always watching their cauldronalways kissing ass."

Ilaugh, glad to haveDani by my sideon my side.

We ride a ways in silence and then I turn to her. "Things are so weird lately. I'm always afraid I'll say something wrong and piss Margo or Z off."

Daninods. "We're supposed to be in this together, but..." She shrugs and looks ahead at Margo andZahara . "My mom said this happened to them, too. She said it always doesI mean,there's only so long a bunch of girls can hang without getting on each other's nerves. But we have to try to keep it together. There's no one to take our places yet."

"They're making it harder to want to stay together."

Danipoints her chin skyward. "Look at MissPriss ."

Sascha'sflying higher than the rest of usback stick-straighthair stretching out behind her. "One good gust and she'sgonna get blown off riding like that."

Danidraws in closer to me. "Connor's on cleanup tonight."

"I figured," I say, hoping I sound like I don't care.

Daniknows how much I like Connor, though. Of course, seeing as Connor and Michael are the only guys our age in the coven, there isn't a whole lot of choice. But Connor and I were inseparable until we hit seventh grade, and then our moms made it clear we needed some distance. I started hanging out withDani , and Connor spent more time with Michael, but whenever we're together he sticks by my side and I hope he still thinks about me as much as I think about him.

"Who's helping?" I ask, hoping it's notZahara's dad. All he does is complain about how bad his back is and how he really shouldn't be out at night in the cold.

Danisticks out her tongue. "Michael. Let's hope he put some deodorant on today."

"Come onMichael's a sweetie!"